Mirek_Dymitrow

This movie is made up of three segments from different decades. The first of them is actually the only one worth watching. It's a magnificent tribute to homosexual love, without any gay peppy commercial bullshit. In a natural and realistic way it deals with the complicated and intriguing aspects of homosexuality between two elderly women in the early 60's. While watching it, I cried my eyes out during the full length of the movie. Its direction and symbolics are striking! Vanessa Redgrave shows proof of being an excellent actress, just as Marian Seldes does. The film is a valuable source of reflection, it really makes you think! The other two segments just cannot compete with the first one. The middle segment aims to illustrate the gay liberation un the 70's. Otherwise it doesn't have a clear points. It also contains an almost pornographic sex sequence. The last one is sporadically funny, however it also lacks a clear point and only shows scene from today's gay life. In addition to that, Sharon Stone (who otherwise is one of my favorite actresses)is embarrassing in her character. She's great in playing sexy, strong or serious women, but her attempt to put on a girlish performance while being in her forties, is just pathetic.

This isn't a masterpiece, still it's a smart and interesting thriller. Although the genre is a bit over-exploited, this movie has a capturing and really original story. The brutal techniques of the Hangman are something I've never seen on screen before. The acting is OK, not very overwhelming, however convincing. The ending might seem as a let-down, yet it's not stereotype compared with other films.

The movie begins with an original setting, a completely flooded town. The beginning seems exciting and very inviting. However, soon it blurs out into a confusing dream story, you don't know what's fantasy and what's reality. And it stays that way for almost the entire length of the movie. It deals with several plots that come out loose, and the only scary scenes soon lose their tension. Definitely not worth seeing. It seems like an attempt to create a mysterious obscure thriller, in reality being nothing than a dull and confusing mess. However, it's nice to see Robert Downey Jr. in a really odd part.